


Hatori's New Spring

by Sara1991



Category: Fruits Basket
Genre: 69 (Sex Position), Age Difference, Anal Sex, Attempted Murder, Attempted Rape/Non-Con, Backwards Cowgirl Position, Bath Sex, Beach Sex, Betrayal, Birth Control, Birthday Sex, Blow Jobs, Blow Jobs in a Car, Breast Fucking, Breast Sucking, Bubble Bath, Car Sex, Cheating, Coma, Cowgirl Position, Crime, Curses, Dancing, Dancing in the Rain, Dancing under the moon, Deepthroating, Doggy Style, Dominance, Dominant Sex, Double Penetration, Double Vaginal Penetration, Drama, Drunk Sex, Dry Humping, Dysfunctional Family, Elevator Sex, Explicit Language, Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, Falling In Love, Family Bonding, Family Drama, Family Secrets, Fighting, First Kiss, First Time, First Time Blow Jobs, First Time jitters, Forced Orgasm, Forced Rape, Forced Sex, Forced to Watch, Friendship, Gentle Kissing, Gentle Sex, Gentleness, Group Sex, Hospital Sex, Hot Tub Sex, Hotel Sex, Hurt/Comfort, Immortality, Innocence, Kindness, Kissing in the Rain, Lap Sex, Lapdance, Loss of Grandparent(s), Loss of Innocence, Loss of Parent(s), Loss of Trust, Loss of Virginity, Love, Making Love, Making Out, Manipulation, Marriage, Marriage Proposal, Memory Loss, Mind Manipulation, Missionary Position, Molestation, Multiple Orgasms, Murder, Neck Kissing, Opening Up, Oral Sex, Orgasm Delay, Possessive Behavior, Possessive Sex, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Power Outage, Pregnancy, Pregnant Sex, Protectiveness, Public Sex, Rape Aftermath, Rape/Non-con Elements, Regret, Romance, Rough Sex, Running Away, Secrets, Semi-Public Sex, Sex, Sex In A Cave, Sex In A High School Bathroom, Sex Toys, Sex in An Ocean, Sexual Roleplay, Shooting, Shy Sex, Shyness, Slow Dancing, Stabbing, Stockholm Syndrome, Suicide, Suicide Attempt, Table Sex, Teen Pregnancy, Tenderness, Threats, Threats of Rape/Non-Con, Threats of Violence, Threesome - F/M/M, Trapped In Elevator, Underage Rape/Non-con, Underage Sex, Unplanned Pregnancy, Vacation, Vaginal Fingering, Violence, Wall Sex, Weakness, Work sex, candlelight dinner, fear of thunder storms, feeling helpless, high school drop out, kissing under the moonlight, learning, loss of consciousness, sex by candlelight, sex on a desk, sex under moonlight
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-19
Updated: 2021-02-25
Packaged: 2021-03-07 17:29:12
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con, Underage
Chapters: 3
Words: 14,100
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26541445
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sara1991/pseuds/Sara1991
Summary: This just kind of came to me in a dream: will be edited & such with Grammarly.How long has it been? How long since he's felt true happiness? Everyone else has someone. So, why doesn't he? Doesn't he deserve happiness?Hatori has been alone since Mayuko moved to the USA to teach Japanese to American students; he refused to go, saying he could never see himself leaving Japan for more than a month.He has done his best to try to avoid finding a relationship—despite Shigure & Ayame always trying to set him up on blind dates.He meets a young girl, roughly twelve years younger than himself. He thinks nothing of it until she pops up at the clinic he works at once a week outside of the estate.What is this that he's feeling? Why is he falling for someone almost half his age? Why can't he help it? What happens when he finds out who she is & about her past? What happens when he becomes super protective & possessive of her?What this about the curse returning? And what does Akito have to do with anything? Why does she want this girl so bad? What does she have up her sleeve?I DO NOT OWN FRUITS BASKET OR ANY OF ITS CHARACTERS!  I ONLY CLAIM THE STORY & CHARACTERS I CREATE!
Relationships: Honda Tohru/Sohma Kyou, Kuragi Machi/Sohma Yuki, Kuramae Mine/Sohma Ayame, Mitsuru/Sohma Ritsu, Sohma Akito/Sohma Shigure, Sohma Hatori/Asakura Kohana (OC), Sohma Hatsuharu/Sohma Rin, Sohma Hiro/Sohma Kisa, Sohma Kagura/Nakumura Kenji (OC), Sohma Kureno/Uotani Arisa, Sohma Momiji/Toba Kaya (OC)
Kudos: 10





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Plz note, my main character stutters a lot: so when she talks it will look like a mess. So, if you want to skip over the stuttering parts, I've made what she intends to say bold. so it should look something like this: (I-I-I h-h-have a st-st-stuttering i-i-issue.)

  * Hatori Sohma-27 x Kohana Asakura-15/16
  * Kyo Sohma-18 x Tohru Honda-18
  * Shigure Sohma-27 x Akito Sohma-22
  * Ayame Sohma-27 x Mine Kuramae-23
  * Yuki Sohma-18 x Machi Kuragi-17
  * Hatsuharu Sohma-17 x Isuzu Sohma-19
  * Hiro Sohma-13 x Kisa Sohma-14
  * Kureno Sohma-26 x Arisa Uotani-18
  * Momiji Sohma-17 x Kaya Toba-17
  * Ritsu Sohma-25 x Mitsuru ?-22
  * Kenji Nakumura-23 x Kagura Sohma-19

* * *




“Hari!” Shigure’s and Ayame’s cries echoed throughout Hatori’s office.

“What do you want now?” Hatori asked with an annoyed sigh.

“We’ve got a pretty little date for you tonight.” Shigure said with an enthusiastic smile.

“No. I’m not going on another one of your ridiculous blind dates. I’m good just the way I am. Now, come on; we have a family meeting.” Hatori said seriously, giving both Shigure and Ayame “the look.”

“But…” Ayame started.

“No buts. Now, come on.” Hatori said, standing up; he was about to say something when Haru walked in.

“Are you three coming? Akito’s waiting.” Haru said, looking at the three in front of him.

“Yeah, we’re coming.” The three said at the same time.

“Did you get him to agree?” Mine asked, popping her head in.

“No…he’s being a stick in the mud.” Ayame said as they started walking to the main area.

“Ahh. Maybe he has girlfriend already.” Mine said calmly.

“Ohh, Hatori! You dog you!” Shigure exclaimed with a big ass smile.

“I don’t have a girlfriend.” Hatori said plainly.

“Did you ever find that pocket watch?” Haru asked, changing the subject.

“No…” Hatori sighed as they made it to where everyone else was.

“Good evening, family. How is everyone?” Akito asked with a smile as Shigure sat next to her.

“Mine and I are very well; we’ve decided to starting trying for a family.” Ayame said with a boisterous smile.

“Congratulations!” Everyone said at the same time with smiles.

“Yes; we started a few nights ago. Mine thinks I have the biggest ones she’s ever seen!” Ayame exclaimed with a smile, causing everyone to just stare at him in disbelief.

“How are you and Machi?” Akito asked, looking at Yuki.

“We’re fine.” Yuki said calmly.

“Hatori, how are you?” Tohru asked, concerned when she saw his sullen face.

“I’m just fine, Miss Honda. I just can’t find my pocket watch.” Hatori said simply.

“Still?” Just about everyone asked in shock.

“Still. But I’ll be fine. I’m sure it’ll turn up sooner or later.” Hatori said with a sigh.

Knock. Knock.

“Excuse my intrusion.” The head maid asked, bowing at the door.

“Yes, what is it?” Akito asked as calmly as she could. 

Since she started seeing the error of her ways, Akito and her head maid have not seen eye to eye.

“There is someone here to see Hari Sohma. Do we have anyone by that name?” The maid asked, causing everyone to sweatdrop.

“That’s Hatori.” Tohru said with a smile, earning a glare from the maid; she blamed Tohru for the change in Akito’s behavior.

“Should I send her away?” The maid asked, looking at Akito.

“No. Let her in; we can see what she wants.” Akito said simply.

“Come in. Don’t keep them waiting.” The maid said harshly.

“Y-y- **yes** , o-o- **of** c-c- **course**.” A small female voice said softly, stuttering as she walked in, past the maid.

“Hey, it’s that girl.” Haru said, looking at the girl.

The girl who just walked in was fair-skinned, maybe five foot even with waist-long peach-pink hair and green eyes. She looked like she was maybe fifteen or so.

“Hello. You’re looking for Hatori?” Akito asked calmly.

“U-umm… N-n- **no** , th-th- **the** m-m- **man** I-I-I’m l-l- **looking** f-f- **for** i-i- **is** n-n- **named** H-H- **Hari**.” The girl stuttered.

“Hari… Hmm—I don’t think he’s here right now.” Shigure said with a mischievous smile.

“Shigure, stop it; leave her alone. Hari is my nickname these idiots gave me; my birth name is Hatori. Is there something you need? How are you feeling?” Hatori explained and then asked, standing up, looking at the girl.

He remembers meeting this girl just fine.

** Flashback: Last Friday: **

Hatori and Haru were walking through the park just before Hatori had to go to the clinic.

“How are you and Rin doing?” Hatori asked calmly.

“We’re doing well—aside from her being tired as often as she is.” Haru said with a sigh.

“You two are using protection, correct?” Hatori asked seriously.

“Yes; she’s been on birth control for the last year and a half. You should know this; you prescribed it for her.” Haru said in a dull tone.

“Yes, I know. I’m just making sure.” Hatori said calmly.

“Right… You know, I love you. And I mean it when I say this: you need to get laid.” Haru said, rolling his eyes.

“Not you too…” Hatori sighed in frustration.

“Wahhh! P-p- **please** , l-l- **let** me go! I-I-I d-d- **don’t** w-w- **want** th-th- **this**!” Haru was going to say something when they heard a young-sounding girl scream.

“Come on!” Hatori exclaimed, running ahead of Haru.

When they got to where they heard the screams come from, Hatori and Haru were shocked to see three older boys pinning a single girl to the ground. 

She was struggling as they forcibly tried spreading her legs, trying to get her bottoms off. 

Haru immediately went black.

“Hey! Let her go!” Hatori yelled, running over.

“Back off! She’s ours! You can have your turn after we’re done!” One of the guys yelled, pissed off.

“Get—away—from—her—right—now…” Haru growled, pissed off; guys like them gave all men a bad name.

“Who’s going to make us?” One of the guys asked, keeping the girl pinned, as the other two looked back, turning white as paper when they saw Haru standing there.

“Oh no, it’s Hatsuharu Sohma…” One of the guys said, backing away; the other guy was too frozen to move.

“Get—away—from—her… I’m not going to warn you again…” Haru growled again.

The two guys who were just standing there, ran way; the guy who had the girl pinned wasn’t moving.

Hatori had enough and pulled the guy off the girl, arching away when the guy pulled a knife and slashed at Hatori.

Hatori dodged the knife, but the cord to his pocket watch was cut.

While he was focused on Hatori, Haru ran up, kicked the knife out the guy's hand, and into a tree before beating the crap out of him.

“And I’d better not see you near her again!” Haru yelled as the guy ran away.

“Hey. No, no, no… It’s ok; they’re gone. We’re not going to hurt you.” Hatori gently said, kneeling next to the girl, who was wheezing.

“Hari! Haru! What’s going on?! We just saw three school guys running from this direction!” Shigure called, walking over with Kyo, Yuki, and Tohru.

Hatori looked away for maybe a minute, and when he turned back, the girl was gone.

** End Flashback: **

“I-I-I’m ok. I-I-I ju- **just** wan- **wanted** t-t- **to** r-r- **return** wh-wh- **what** w-w- **was** y-y- **yours**.” The girl stuttered.

“Oh? And what would that be?” Hatori asked, walking over.

“You could walk over to him, instead of making him walk all the way over to you.” The maid harshly said.

“Ye-yes, o-o- **of** c-c- **course**.” The girl stuttered again.

“No, you’re fine.” Hatori said calmly; he didn’t give a rat’s ass about this maid.

“What’s your name? I’ve seen you around school…” Haru said, looking at the girl.

“O-oh. I-I-I’m Kohana. Y-ya- **you** w-w- **were** th-th- **there** a-a- **as** we-well…” The girl, Kohana, said softly, still with a stutter.

“Yep.” Haru said plainly.

“I-I-I wa-want t-t- **to** tha- **thank** yo- **you** both for s-s- **saving** me th-th- **that** day. I-I- **I’m** s-s- **sorry** f-f-for ta- **taking** off l-l-like I-I-I d- **did** ; I-I-I wa- **was** ju- **just** s-sc- **scared**.” Kohana said, stuttering horribly.

“Is that normal—for you to stutter like that?” Hiro asked, pointing it out right away.

“Ye- **yes**. U-u- **unfortunately**.” The girl said softly.

“But not all the time?” Hiro asked, confused.

“I-I-I do- **don’t** re-re- **really** u-u- **understand** i-i- **it**.” Kohana managed to get out.

“Ok. To the point. What do you have of mine?” Hatori asked, giving Hiro “the look.”

“Ri-right. Th-the ch-ch- **chain** broke, s-s- **so** I-I-I bou- **bought** a ne- **new** one…” Kohana started, only to be interrupted by Hatori.

She was trying not to stutter; they could all tell, but she was just having a hard time with it.

“Slow down. Try talking slower. Think about what you want or need to say and then speak. It helps the stutter. You may still stutter, but it’ll be a little better.” Hatori said calmly, sensing her nervousness.

“Make it quick.” The maid said seriously.

“No, don’t listen to her; take all the time you need.” Hatori said seriously.

“You may be excused.” Akito said when she noticed the maid was about to say something.

Kohana took a deep breath before speaking up again.

“I-I-I s-s- **saved** the old ch-ch- **chain** i-i-in case you st-sy- **still** wanted th-th- **that**. I-I-I di- **didn’t** know if the sc- **scratch** was there before, s-s- **so** I-I-I left that. I-I-I can get i-i- **it** fixed i-i- **if** i-i- **it** wasn’t th-th- **there** before though. I-I-I saw i-i- **it** g-g- **go** flying th-th- **that** day; i-i- **it** landed i-i- **in** the flowers. I-I-I th-th- **thought** about gi- **give** i-i- **it** to the other boy at school, b-b- **but** I-I-I got sc-sc- **scared** and cou- **couldn’t**. B-b- **but** I-I-I heard the last name S-S- **Sohma** and found out whe- **where** y-y- **you** lived on the i-i- **internet**. I-i- **it** i-i- **is** yours, ye-yes?” Kohana asked, still stuttering decently, but not horribly when she slowed down, holding Hatori’s pocket watch.

“Yes, thank you.” Hatori said, taking the watch from her.

“Yo-you’re welcome. I-I-I ca-can have the scratch fixed i-i- **if** i-i- **it** wasn’t there before. My grandpa fixes things like that. I-I-I j-j- **just** didn’t know i-i- **if** i-i- **it** was there before. Grandma said that i-i- **if** i-i- **it** was s-s- **something** from a family member a-a- **and** the sc-sc- **scratch** was there before, to leave i-i- **it** for s-s- **sentimental** reasons.” Kohana said softly, noticing Hatori staring at the scratch.

“Well, thanks for that. It’s fine. The scratch was there to begin with.” Hatori said calmly.

“Not that big of a scratch.” Shigure said, leaning over Hatori’s shoulder.

“Shut up. It’s fine, really. It still works, that’s all that matters. Don’t worry about it. Thank you.” Hatori said calmly, looking from his watch to Kohana.

“Yo-you’re welcome. I-I- **I’m** s-s- **sorry** for i-i- **intruding** on yo-yo- **your** family th-th- **thing**. I-I-I sh-sh- **should** be headed out. Th-th- **thanks** again for s-s- **saving** me. H-h- **have** a good night.” Kohana managed to get out before turning around.

“You too.” Everyone said at the same time.

“O-o-oh, wait. I-I-I almost forgot. Th-th- **this** i-i- **is** Grandpa’s card; h-h- **he** said i-i- **if** you decide you w-w- **want** the sc-sc- **scratch** gone to j-j- **just** call him. M-ma- **make** s-s- **sure** you give him your name. Bye.” Kohana said quickly, handing Hatori some kind of card with a number on it before heading out.

“Where have I seen her before?” Kyo asked once she was gone.

“School.” Haru said calmly.

“School?” Kyo asked, confused, looking at Haru.

“That’s what he said…” Yuki sighed in a condescending tone.

“Shut up… I only ask because I’ve never seen her before.” Kyo growled as Tohru held onto his arm.

“She must be in Haru and Momiji’s grade.” Yuki sighed; he would much rather be with Machi right now.

“I’ve never seen her before either.” Momiji said, getting looks from Yuki and Kyo.

“She’s new and a year behind us. I usually see her in the nurse’s office, sleeping—around the same time every day. I think she lives with her grandparents; I usually see her grandma yelling at someone at the front desk. No, I don’t know about what. Then her grandpa is usually picking her up after school.” Haru explained calmly.

“Do you ever talk to her?” Rin asked, looking at Haru.

“Sometimes I try, but she’s always running away. Well—maybe running isn’t the proper word; she has more of a quick waddle.” Haru answered, squeezing Rin’s hand to let her know she was the only woman he loved.

“Well, she did say she tried, but got scared every time.” Tohru said softly.

“Maybe try to be her friend.” Hatori said calmly, looking at Tohru, Kyo, Yuki, Haru, and Momiji—mainly Tohru.

“Sure.” Tohru said with a smile.

“Oh, what is this I see?” Shigure asked, looking at Hatori with a mischievous grin.

“Don’t you even dare.” Hatori said seriously, glaring at Shigure.

** Two Weeks Later: Friday Night: **

“Ok…” Hatori sighed, setting a stack of paper down on a desk.

“Oh, Hatori.” A receptionist said with a smile.

“Yes, what is it?” Hatori asked calmly, looking at the receptionist. He has had a long day and was ready to leave and head home—despite not wanting to see Shigure and Ayame right now.

“You have one more patient for the night.” She said calmly.

“I don’t remember seeing anybody else on my rounds.” Hatori said, looking at her.

“Well, you didn’t; this girl is a walk-in. Your nurse just called her back and is talking to her now. I think the check-in people said she’s been waiting patiently for the last two or three hours to see someone. Dr. Haute left fifteen minutes ago—he refused to see anymore stuck up teenagers. Dr. Gauge was supposed to see her, but his wife went into labor, so he had to leave, apologizing to her and you; he said he’d make it up to. Dr. Yager was all too willing to see her, but he’s not allowed near female patients under eighteen. All the others are with their final patients. We close in half an hour. I suppose I could tell her to come back tomorrow and someone could see her in the morning.” The receptionist said calmly.

“No, it’s fine; I’ll see her. That is why I’m here. Which room number is she in?” Hatori asked calmly.

“B5.” The receptionist said with a smile, handing Hatori the girl’s file.

“Asakura?” Hatori asked, looking it over.

“Asakura, you say? I know the family; I can really check up on her.” Dr. Yager, an older, slightly overweight doctor with thinning hair, said, walking over.

“You know the rules. In order to keep your license and keep practicing, you cannot have female patients under eighteen. It doesn’t matter whether or no you know the family or not. Besides, your final patient is waiting in room D9. Go. Mr. Hima is waiting for you.” The receptionist said seriously, sending him away.

“Great… Hey, I’ll trade you patients.” Dr. Yager mumbled, and then said with a smile when he and Hatori walked into the back.

“None of that shit! Stay away from Ms. Asakura!” The receptionist yelled down the hall.

“Come on Dr. Yager, I’ll lead you to your room…” A different nurse said, slightly annoyed, leading Dr. Yager away.

“He was caught drugging and sexually abusing his underage female patients.” Hatori’s nurse said calmly, walking by.

“How is he still a doctor then?” Hatori asked, disgusted.

“First offence or some shit like that. Plus, the judge, who was later fired, was a friend of his; he showed him leniency. Well anyway, Ms. Asakura is waiting for you. She said she has an errand to run after this. However, I would highly recommend that she run it tomorrow or something; she looks absolutely drained.” The nurse said, concern written all over her face.

“She have a fever or anything?” Hatori asked calmly.

“No; she’s actually kind of cold and clammy—despite the fact she’s wearing a sweater.” The nurse said with a look.

“Ok. I’ll talk to her and see what I can do.” Hatori said calmly, walking away.

“Oh, wait.” The nurse said, stopping him right away.

“I know you’ve had a long day but try to have patience with her. I don’t think she’s seen a doctor in a long time and is nervous; she has a horrible stutter.” The nurse explained right away.

“Ok. Thanks for letting me know.” Hatori said, once again, walking away.

Knock. Knock.

When he made it to Room B5, he knocked before walking in.

“Hello, Ms. Asakura?” Hatori asked, looking at a file.

“H-huh?” The girl, who Hatori recognized as Kohana, sat up, half asleep.

“Kohana?” Hatori asked, somewhat shocked, looking at the girl in front of him.

Kohana was sitting in the chair on her knees, hair messed up a little from what he assumed was because she had her head on the desk; she rubbed her eyes as she yawned.

Hatori also noted that she was paler than the last time he saw her.

“O-o-oh. Ha-Ha- **Hatori** , wh-wh- **what** uh-uh- **are** y-y- **you** d-d-doi- **doing** he-he- **here**?” Kohana asked softly, stuttering horribly as his nurse had said, and was yawning every few seconds.

“I’m a doctor here once a week. Normally, I just work as a doctor for my family. But every now and then, I need to get out. What brings you here?” Hatori explained and then asked as he sat on the spinning stool next to his desk.

“Grandma mu-mu- **made** m-m- **me** come. I-i- **it** ha-ha- **had** be-been a f-f- **few** ye-years. O-o- **oh** , h-h- **hey** … Th-th- **this** s-s- **saves** m-m- **me** a tr-tr- **trip**. Grandpa f-f- **fixed** yo-yo- **your** w-w- **watch**.” Kohana stuttered, pulling out the pocket watch.

“Oh, well, thanks. Kohana, how are you feeling? And remember, slow down and think about what you want to say. It helps at least a little with stuttering. It’s fine; the clinic doesn’t actually lockdown for another hour." Hatori explained calmly.

“I-I- **I’m** o-o- **ok**. A li-little ti-tired.” Kohana answered honestly.

“Are you doing well in school? Haru says he sees you, but you seem to avoid him. Turn your wrist over.” Hatori said calmly, checking her pulse.

“N-n- **not** re-really. Sc-sc- **school** i-i- **isn’t** my th-th- **thing** ; i-i- **it’s** t-t- **too** hard f-for me. Th-th- **there** ar-aren’t sp-sp- **special** classes here l-l- **like** ba-back h-h- **home**.” Kohana answered softly, stuttering here and there.

“Oh? Where are you from?” Hatori asked, interested; he didn’t figure she was full Japanese.

“I-I-Italy.” Kohana answered.

“Ok. I need you to take a seat up here, please.” Hatori said, motioning to the exam table.

“O-o-ok.” Kohana stuttered out, standing up on shaky legs before she waddled over.

Hatori was afraid she would fall over, so he stood right behind her so that if she did, he could catch her.

She made it up and sat up as straight as she could.

“Who’s side is what? Deep Breaths.” Hatori asked and then said calmly.

“Both. Mom a-a- **and** D-D-D- **Dad** w-w- **were** both J-J- **Japanese** and I-I- **Italian**. Grandpa h-h- **here** i-i- **is** J-J- **Japanese** a-and Grandma i-i- **is** I-I- **Italian**. I-i- **is** th-th- **the** o-o-op- **oppos-s-site** wi-with D-D-D- **Dad’s** pa-pa- **parents**.” Kohana explained, stuttering horribly—more so when she got to her dad.

While she explained all that, Hatori checked her breathing, heart, ears, and nose.

“Can you please open and say, “Ahhh?” Hatori asked, ready to look at her throat.

“Ahhh.” Kohana mimicked, but with a yawn—which made it easier for Hatori.

“You don’t have insurance, do you?” Hatori asked when he got done with her throat.

“N-n-no.” Kohana said, yawning again and rubbing her eyes.

“Ok… Well, you don’t have a fever, but your pulse is slow, as is your heart. As for your breathing, I think you needed to get checked for bronchitis or pneumonia…” Hatori started, only to be interrupted when she put her hand up.

“I-I-I w-w- **was** b-born a mo-month a-and a ha-half e-e- **early** , b-b-ba- **backwards** , u-u- **ups-side** d-d- **down** a-and w-w- **with** a c-c- **cord** wr-wr- **wrapped** a-a- **around** my n-n- **neck**. I-I-I d-d- **didn’t** ge- **get** e-e- **enough** o-o- **oxygen** t-t- **to** my brain a-and my lungs d-d- **developed** w-w- **wrong** o-o- **or** s-s- **someth-thing**. I-I-I h-h- **have** b-b- **bad** b-b- **brea-thing** p-problems. I-i- **it’s** a-also w-why I-I-I st-st- **stutter** b-b- **badly**. Grandma t-t-t- **tries** t-t-to help—l-l- **lots** o-o- **of** p-people h-h- **have** tr-tired t-t- **to** h-h- **help** , b-but no-no- **nothing** s-s- **seems** t-t- **to** h- **help**. M-m- **my** heart a-and pulse a-a- **are** a-a- **always** s-s- **slow**. A-a- **as** f-for b-b- **being** ti-tired—I-I- **I’m** st-st- **still** tr-trying t-to ge-get used t-t- **to** th-the ti-time ch-change…” Kohana managed to get out.

“So, you lived in Italy before here?” Hatori asked calmly.

“N-n-no. A-A- **America**. I-I- **Italy** was b-b- **before** th-that. I-I-I wa-was b-b- **born** i-i- **in** T-T- **Tokyo** , b-b- **but** moved t-t- **to** I-I- **Italy** wh-when I-I-I w-was two. St-st- **stayed** th-there until I-I-I w-was a little o-over f-f- **fourteen**. St-st- **stay** i-i- **in** A-A- **America** f-for f-f- **five** mo-months b-b- **before** h-h- **having** t-to move h-h- **here** a month a-a- **ago**.” Kohana managed to get out.

Hatori noticed that certain things she couldn’t help but stutters—mainly her “I’s,” “S’s,” and “T’s.” He also noticed that certain subjects—she seemed to become upset, and the stuttering gets worse. Being half asleep sure as hell didn’t help her.

“Do you like it here—in Japan?” Hatori asked, looking at her; she looked like she was going to pass out. He needed to keep her talking—no matter how bad it was.

“Yes.” Kohana answered slowly.

“Is someone going to pick you up?” Hatori asked, looking at her.

“N-n- **no**. I-I-I o-o- **only** l-l- **live** a l-li- **little** w-w- **ways** a-a- **away**. Grandpa says w-w- **walking** i-i- **is** good for me. Grandma c-c- **can’t** dr-drive n-n- **no** more.” Kohana answered, ready to get up.

“So—on foot, how far do you live?” Hatori asked, looking at her.

“H-h- **half** a-a- **an** ow-ow- **hour** I-I-I th-think.” Kohana said, stepping down, stumbling into Hatori.

‘Thank God, the curse is broke. Or this would be very bad right now.’ Hatori thought to himself.

When he decided to have that scratch fixed, he called Kohana’s grandfather; he said to just drop it off at his house; Hatori did so while Kohana was at school.

“Ok. Come on—I’ll drive you home.” Hatori said calmly, yet seriously, leading the young girl out of the room.

“N-n- **no** … I-I- **It’s** ok…” Kohana mumbled.

“Yeah, no it’s not. Come on. I know where you live. You’re not going to walk anywhere at this time of night alone in your condition.” Hatori said seriously, not taking no for an answer.

“Goodnight Hatori. See you next Friday.” His nurse said with a smile, watching as he led Kohana out; she had heard the last thing he said.

It was almost completely dark out, seeing as it was 6:30 PM.

“Get in.” Hatori said calmly, opening the passenger door.

Once she was in, he made sure she could buckle herself before he shut the door.

** Fifteen Minutes Later: **

Kohana was completely out the moment the car started moving.

Hatori found himself taking glances at her now and then. Something about her had caught his interest. He just didn’t know what.

‘Well, this isn’t good. She’s at least twelve years younger than myself. Well—what are the actual odds that I’ll ever see her again?’ Hatori thought to himself when he parked in her family’s driveway, realizing then and there what he was feeling.

However, he secretly hoped he would see her again as he got out.

She looked so peaceful; he didn’t have the heart to wake her up.

Knock. Knock. Knock.

Hatori managed to knock on the door while holding onto Kohana.

“Hello? Oh, Kohana! Is everything ok? What happened?! You’re the man with the pocket watch. Is Kohana ok?” Kohana’s grandmother asked, opening the door.

“She’s probably fine, Gaia. The girl probably fell asleep on a bench somewhere. Mr. Sohma, hello. Kohana got you your pocket watch back?” Kohana’s grandfather asked, walking over.

“Kohana’s fine. Yes, I got my watch back; it looks great. Actually, she fell asleep in my car. I’m a doctor at the clinic on Fridays. She was a walk-in, so she was my last patient. She was half asleep in my office, I wasn’t going to let her walk home at this time of night in her condition.” Hatori explained calmly, still holding onto Kohana.

“Condition?” Gaia asked, looking at Hatori.

“Being half asleep the way she was. I didn’t want her to be taken advantage of.” Hatori said calmly.

“Heh. Walking is good for her.” Kohana’s grandfather huffed, walking away.

“Hojo… Please, come in; her room is just down the hall to the left. Just place her in her bed. Oh, just follow me; I’ll take you there. Don’t mind the cats. Poppy.” Gaia said kindly before shooing a fat brown, orange, and white cat.

Gaia could tell just by looking at Hatori, that he liked Kohana.

“Again, don’t mind the cats; hers always stay in her room.” Gaia said with a smile.

“She has too many if you ask me.” Hojo called down the hall.

“They give her comfort! And she only has eight!” Gaia called back.

‘Only eight?’ Hatori thought to himself, shifting a little to hold onto Kohana, who was moving a little.

With all the shouting, Hatori was sure her grandparents were going to wake Kohana.

“Eight, plus Poppy and Sanji. How she knows all their names is beyond me.” Hojo called, walking over.

“I’m sorry, dear. Just one second. Hojo, you know damn well that she would only have five if her mom hadn’t had her three. They are a little piece of her to help Kohana. And by the way, I know all of her cats’ names. And Dear, you forgot about Neji again. Her cats are Chibi, Mika, Hari, Taiyo, Tsuki, Ryu, Tatsu, and Kayda.” Gaia shot back.

“Sorry about that. She may be light, but your arms are probably getting tired. Please, follow me.” Gaia politely apologized as she led Hatori to Kohana’s room.

“Interesting names for cats.” Hatori accidentally said out loud.

“Yeah. Chibi, Mika, and Hari were her mother’s—my daughter’s cats. Taiyo, Tsuki, Ryu, Tatsu and Kayda are Kohana’s cats. Well, I suppose they’re all Kohana’s cats now. I understand her love of cats and saving them—I’m the same way—so was her mother. We can’t stand to see an animal hurting. I keep telling her when she gets older, she should live on a farm.” Gaia explained with a smile.

“They did live on a farm—in America!” Hojo called back.

“Yes, I know. It wasn’t their farm; they were just renting or whatever. Kohana loved it; she loved all the animals from the horses and cows, to the pigs and chickens and roosters to the sheep. I think there were a few rabbits and mice as well. I think the only animals she wasn’t fond of were snakes and dogs. And of course, you can’t have tigers or monkeys on farms. Oh, hold on. It seems she’s locked herself out of her room again.” Gaia said with a sigh as she went to find a key.

“Excuse me.” Hojo said, walking over with a screwdriver.

“Now what are you doing?” Gaia asked, looking at her husband.

“Taking the door down. She keeps forgetting that damn key, she doesn’t need a door.” Hojo said seriously.

“Mmm…” Kohana moaned a little in her sleep as she rolled towards Hatori, resting her head and face in his shoulder.

“So, she’s a fan of the Zodiac?” Hatori asked, looking at Gaia.

“Oh, yes. I think it comes from her love of animals.” Gaia said happily.

“Then what of dragons? They don’t exist; dragons are a mythological creature.” Hojo said, knocking out a hinge.

“I don’t know…” Gaia sighed.

“Her and her damn cats and dragons…” Hojo grumbled, getting the other hinge; he then moved the door to the side.

“There you go. I’m going to bed. It was good to see you again, Mr. Sohma.” Hojo said, walking away.

“Don’t mind him… I’m very well aware of how it seems, but he really does love Kohana; he just didn’t want to raise another child after ours grew up and moved out. Kohana is all we have left. Here we go.” Gaia explained, looking for and finding the light switch.

Once he entered her room and seen everything, Hatori couldn’t believe his good eye. 

Her room was covered in dragon, fairy, cat, and the Zodiac decorations and charms. Blues, light greens, and purples covered a good chunk of her walls instead of pinks; he pegged her for a girl who liked pink.

“Yes, she does like her cats and dragons.” Gaia said, walking over to Kohana’s bed and pulled the blankets down.

Hatori walked over with a sigh and gently set Kohana on her bed; Gaia removed her shoes and covered her up.

“Good night…” Kohana mumbled, rolling onto her side, facing the wall; her cats immediately cuddled up against her.

“Aren’t you worried about her overheating?” Hatori asked when he realized she was still in her sweater.

“Good heavens, no. She’s always cold—especially at night. And no, doctor, we don’t know why. She’s such a sweet girl.” Gaia said with a smile.

“She didn’t stutter that time…” Hatori accidentally said out loud when he realized she said “good night” perfectly, without stuttering.

“Yes, that’s normal. She talks in her sleep perfectly; it’s about the only time. Please, follow me.” Gaia said with a sigh as she led Hatori to the kitchen.

“She’s not a fan of snakes or dogs?” Hatori asked, scratching his head, looking around; it looked like they had a dog at one point.

“No. We used to have a dog, but it passed away about a year and a half ago. We were going to look at getting a new one soon, but then we got the news and that we were getting custody of Kohana; she is terrified of dogs and snakes. While in America, about two or three months before moving here, she was bit by two rattle snakes. She tends to forget things and gets lost often; she got lost on her way home from wherever. We were told she was walking down a road and her foot slipped and she fell down a hill or ditch and she just happened to land in a rattle snake’s nest. She still feels the effects often—mainly in her legs where she was bit. She falls often because of it; her legs just become weak and give out. But boy is she stubborn and strong-willed; she keeps going. So, she has a healthy fear of snakes. And as much as Hojo disagrees, she has a healthy fear of dogs as well. When she was really little—I wanna say four, maybe five, she was attacked by a very mean, very trained rottweiler. And again, when she was ten, she was attacked by the same rottweiler. Then somewhere in between she was attacked by a very large dog—I forget what it’s called. And again, she tries; she knows Hojo wants a dog. She always feels guilty because he doesn’t have the dog he wants, but I let her have her cats. But honestly, I prefer cats over dogs any day. Not to say that I don’t like dogs—I do. I’m just more of a cat person. But Kohana, on a few occasions, has openly said, we could get a dog of if we absolutely wanted; she would stop us. She’s always thinking of others before herself—if she knows and trusts them. She must really trust you; she doesn’t trust anyone except me and Hojo. But anyway, I want to thank you for being so kind to my Kohana; not many are. She doesn’t have any friends.” Gaia said, pulling out some bento boxes.

“Why is that?” Hatori asked, somewhat shocked.

“I would like to say she’s just shy—but that’s an understatement. She’s way more than shy—plus, all of her issues make her a target for bullying—severe bullying. But no matter what, she always keeps her head held high. You’ve talked to her: you know she stutters—horribly. She limps, has breathing problems, minor heart problems—her mom said the doctors back in America said it was nothing to worry about—so long as she doesn’t push herself too much. But the same can be said about her lungs. I’m not sure I’m telling you all this. Maybe it’s because you said you were a doctor and have been kind to her. But you probably have to be heading out, don’t you? I’m sorry for keeping you. But as I said before, I want to thank you for being so kind and looking out for Kohana tonight. It’s late and I’m assuming you haven’t had dinner yet. I don’t want you going to some fast-food place or making something quick. Here, take this. I wasn’t exactly expecting her to be this tired this early—and it’s Friday; I always make several different things. So we have some tempura, yakitori, steamed curry rice, steamed vegetables, tamagoyaki, and soba noodles. Those are Kohana’s favorites—but she likes any type of pasta. Then in here we have Gyuhi, Dango, and a few miniature cupcakes that Kohana made herself. With the cupcakes, there are a few in there as she messed up something and ended up making smaller ones instead of regular-sized ones. Well, I won’t keep you any longer. Please enjoy the food and desserts. Please don’t be a stranger.” Gaia said, handing Hatori three different bento boxes.

“Thank you. Oh, here. This is my card with my number. If she ever needs any kind of medical help, don’t hesitate to call.” Hatori said, handing Gaia one of his cards.

“Thank you. Bye.” Gaia said with a smile as Hatori left the house.

‘What the hell am I thinking? Whatever it is, obviously Grandma there can see something. I can tell just by how she looks at me. Am I that readable? Shit… I have to regain composure before I run into Shigure or Ayame—or any of them.’ Hatori thought to himself as he got into his car.

No matter how much he tried, he always seemed to run into those two when he really didn’t want to. 

** Fifteen Minutes Later: **

“Welcome home, Hatori. You’re out late tonight. Hmm? Did you go shopping?” Akito asked as she and Shigure met him at his place.

“No. I had a last-minute walk-in patient at the clinic. And before you ask; we’ll just get this out of the way: it was Kohana Asakura.” Hatori started explaining as he unlocked his door.

“What’s with the bag of food?” Shigure asked, looking at Hatori.

“It’s from her grandmother…” Hatori started, only to be interrupted by Akito.

“Asakura? Are the grandparents Hojo and Gaia Asakura?” Akito asked with intense curiosity.

“I don’t know their last names, but yes, Hojo and Gaia are the grandparents I met with.” Hatori answered calmly, setting the food on his desk before looking at Akito.

“So, she’s the daughter of Tamera or Tami Asakura.” Akito said, thinking about it.

“I’m not sure; they didn’t talk about her mother/their daughter too much. I saw Kohana as my last patient and noticed she wasn’t well, so I drove her home; I didn’t want anything happening to her. She’s a shy, quiet child with no friends. Her grandma just wanted to thank me for being nice to her granddaughter. What’s going on?” Hatori asked, looking at Akito.

“You don’t know of the Asakura family, do you?” Akito asked calmly.

“No, not really.” Hatori said calmly, earning annoying giggles from Shigure.

“You’re the one.” Shigure blurted out, laughing before walking outside.

“The one?” Hatori asked, looking at Akito.

“I suppose it makes since; it has been a thousand years now—and the Sohma curse has been broken.” Akito said, trailing off.

“Akito, what is going on?” Hatori asked, leaning against his counter.

“Call the rest of the family: have them all meet at the main area. Partners or lovers or whatever you want to call them may come as well. Eat something first.” Akito said, walking out with Shigure.

** An Hour Later: Almost 8:30: **

“What is going on?” Haru and Rin asked, annoyed; they were about to get busy.

“Isn’t it a little late to be having a meeting?” Kyo asked, annoyed, holding onto Tohru; he still didn’t trust Akito.

There was a lot of chatter when Hatori walked out, running his hand through his hair.

“I know I don’t need to tell most of you this: but to Machi, Arisa, Kaya, Mitsuru, and Kenji. Our family—the Sohma family has been living with a curse for the last thousand years. We were cursed with the twelve animals of the Zodiac, plus the cat and God. I was their God. Whenever their bodies became under a lot of stress or they were hugged by the opposite sex of non-Zodiac members, they turned into their animal form. The only people outside of the family who knew were Mine and Tohru.” Akito explained seriously, getting everyone’s attention.

If it hadn’t been for her seriousness and the shocked look on everyone else’s faces, Uo, Machi, Kaya, Mitsuru, and Kenji would have laughed it off.

“Why are you telling them all of this?!” Kyo asked, pissed off, nearly yelling.

“What does it matter? The curse is broken.” Yuki said calmly, holding Machi.

“Yes. Tohru is the one who broke it; it’s thanks to her that all of you are able to have normal relationships. However, what if I were to tell you that curse will most likely return?” Akito asked, looking at everyone, who stared back her in shock.

“What are you talking about?” Everyone asked, staring at Akito.

“If certain things aren’t done; the curse will return—and you will all be back to where none of you will be able to hug your loved ones outside of the Zodiac again.” Akito explained seriously, arms folded across her chest.

“Did you know about this?” Yuki asked, looking at Shigure, Hatori, Ayame, and Kureno.

“No.” They all answered at the same time.

“You never told me that part of it.” Shigure said, looking at Akito.

“At the time, I didn’t think I needed to; I didn’t think some outsider was going to be able to break the curse. But I was wrong—just as I was wrong about her.” Akito answered simply.

“So, what do we need to do?” Tohru asked right away.

“ _You_ don’t need to do anything. Unfortunately, this isn’t something you can help with—any of you. The only one that can do anything is Hatori. Come here.” Akito explained, beckoning Hatori over.

“What does Kohana have to do with any of this?” Hatori asked right away.

“Yep, he’s definitely the one.” Shigure said with a huge smile.

“What the hell does that mean?” Hatori and Kyo asked, annoyed.

“Kohana? The one we saved from those thugs? The girl who stutters and returned your pocket watch?” Haru asked, looking at Hatori.

“The very same. She has a big part to play in this.” Akito said seriously.

“What is going on? I’m not going to play some sick game and get an innocent girl hurt.” Hatori said seriously, standing up.

“Relax; she won’t get hurt—unless this fails. Everyone sit down, and I’ll explain.” Akito said calmly.

After a few seconds, everyone sat down with their loved ones at their sides.

“Ok. So, one thousand years ago, when the family curse started; one of its members was in love with a member of the Asakura family—which at the time, was like that Romeo and Juliet thing. And like Romeo and Juliet, it ended in tragedy. From that day forth, both families were cursed: us with the Zodiac curse and them with something far worse. No, they don’t transform any of you did. The direct female descendants of the original Asakura family don’t tend to make it very far in life; they usually fall ill and are killed off. By killed off, I mean murdered. That has to do with a third family thrown into the mix. That family is the Jinmei family. That family never had any issues with our family—not until the Sohma family member fell in love with the Asakura member. The Sohma member was male while the Asakura member was female, by the way—which is why direct female descendants are the cursed ones. Direct male descendants of the Asakura family always have at least one daughter. The Jinmei family are not cursed as far as I know. I do know that they don’t like the Sohma family and feel betrayed by the Asakura family. Feeling betrayed by the Jinmei family is far worse than them not liking someone. In the end, Asakura women are killed by Jinmei men. Maybe that’s their curse. Anyway—I don’t know this Kohana girl, but I know she’s important—important to our family, but more so to Hatori than any of us. It’s clear to see you’re already starting to have feelings for the girl…” Akito started when Hatori interrupted him.

“She’s only fifteen; she’s roughly twelve years younger than me.” Hatori said right away.

“Love is love, is it not? The lovers from a thousand years ago were fifteen years apart.” Akito said, looking at Hatori.

“Mom and dad were happy together; they were nine and half years apart.” Tohru said softly.

“Kureno and I are happy.” Uo said calmly.

“Yes, this is true.” Kureno said, hugging Uo.

“I never knew your parents, but that was years ago. And as for you two, at least your eighteen; Kohana is fifteen.” Hatori said seriously.

“Fight it all you want, Hatori; you love this girl.” Akito said plainly.

“I highly doubt she feels the same, and I won’t force her to love me back.” Hatori said seriously.

“You never know how she feels unless you get to know her.” Tohru said softly.

“She’s right. At least talk to the girl and get to know her—see how she feels. You eight go to school with her; talk to her there and find out her interests and such.” Akito said, looking at Yuki, Tohru, Kyo, and others.

“Hatori, you do this for us…” Shigure said, dangerously, looking at Hatori, shocking everyone but Akito; he rarely gets like this.

“Think of it this way, Hatori: if you don’t at least try, you’ll definitely be at fault for the curse returning. Versus if you at least try and it doesn’t work out; it won’t be completely your fault.” Akito said, looking at Hatori.

“Gee, thanks… I’m going to bed.” Hatori said, walking away.

“Pleasant dreams. You may all be excused.” Akito said with a smile, earning a grumble from Hatori…


	2. Chapter 2

** A Month & A Half Later: **

It had been a month and a half since everyone learned the truth about Hatori, Kohana, and their families—and since Hatori saw Kohana.

Surprisingly, it bothered Hatori that he hadn’t seen her—and he didn’t know why exactly; she is twelve years younger than him. However, he couldn’t stop thinking about her, how cute he thought she was, her kind, caring attitude, and her health issues. 

Hatori had been especially worried about Kohana. It just shows how much he cares about her.

“Hey, how have you been? I haven’t seen you in a few weeks.” Haru stated, looking at Hatori.

“I’m ok. How are you and Rin?” Hatori asked, looking over his desk at Haru.

“We’re fine. No, we’re not pregnant before you ask.” Haru stated, slightly annoyed.

“I wasn’t going to say anything. But now that you’ve brought something up, I’m guessing she’s still on birth control and it’s effective?” Hatori asked, looking at Haru.

“Yes, she’s on birth control. And yes, it’s very effective. And yes, we’re very active. Have you seen Kohana at all?” Haru answered and then asked.

“Well—that’s good. Although, I really didn’t need to know how active you’ve been. As for Kohana—no, I have not seen her. Why would I have?” Hatori replied before asking.

“Because you two are meant to be.” Haru stated in a bored tone of voice.

“Not you too… She’s twelve years younger than me; she probably has no interest in me like that.” Hatori replied, annoyed.

“So, you do like her then.” Haru noted, pegging Hatori down.

“Suppose I do… Wait, why are you asking me if I’ve seen her? You’re the one who goes to school with her.” Hatori asked, looking at Haru.

“I see her from time to time, but that’s it.” Haru answered, looking at Hatori.

“Don’t you talk to her?” Hatori asked in disbelief.

“I try—we all do.” Haru started.

“But?” Hatori asked, looking at his cousin.

“She runs—well, shuffles away. It’s like she’s afraid of us. I understand her being afraid of me, Kyo, and Tohru’s two friends—but not Tohru, Yuki, or Momiji.” Haru answered.

“She does seem like a skittish girl… What are you wearing?” Hatori sighed and then asked, noticing that Haru was wearing a school gym uniform.

“We had to do that school endurance run thing today.” Haru plainly answered.

“Shouldn’t you still be in school?” Hatori asked, looking at Haru.

“Nope. Once we finished the run, we could do whatever we wanted—including leave school.” Haru answered; he was going to say more, but Shigure and Ayame burst through his door.

“What do you two want?” Hatori asked, annoyed, not noticing Shigure was carrying someone.

“Is Akito ok? Did something happen to her?” Haru asked, noticing the person in Shigure’s arms.

“Akito’s fine. This is that Asakura girl.” Shigure answered.

“Kohana? What happened?” Hatori asked, immediately standing up.

“Yeah, her. Don’t know. We just found her barely conscious, struggling to breathe, leaning against a wall a few blocks away. When we went to help, she seemed like she afraid of us. After a few seconds, she passed out.” Shigure explained.

“And you brought her here? Why didn’t you send her to a hospital?” Hatori asked, slightly annoyed but more panicked than anything.

“You said she didn’t have any insurance. How would she ever be able to afford it? Plus, we figured you’d want to see her again. And we were right!” Ayame explained before saying in a sing-song tone.

“Follow me. Why is she in a gym uniform?” Hatori ordered and then asked, rubbing his brow, having Shigure set her on a bed so he could examine her.

“I suppose the gym teacher had her do the endurance run. I can’t help but wonder when she has physical education because when her class is there, she’s in the office, sleeping.” Haru answered.

“She’s not supposed to be running—or anything physical education. She and her grandmother both told me she has medical issues. And yes, I looked her up a little. Most of her information was blocked, but I did get into her medical information. She shouldn’t be including in anything physical education—it could kill her.” Hatori explained, feeling for a pulse and listening to her breathing and heartbeat.

“How are you supposed to have sex?” Shigure and Ayame asked, curious, looking from Hatori to each other.

“Out.” Hatori instructed, annoyed.

“I suppose he could do all the work.” Shigure thought aloud, ignoring Hatori.

“NOW!” Hatori yelled, embarrassed and pissed off.

“Sorry.” Ayame and Shigure sincerely apologized before leaving; they rarely ever got Hatori that pissed off.

“Is she going to be ok?” Haru asked after a few minutes of silence.

“She should be fine after a while. She may not be conscious, but she is responsive. Watch. If I push on her stomach, she moans, indicating she feels the pressure. Same with if I push her arms or legs down. Her breathing and heartbeat, although fast, are slowly slowing down to an even pace. Now, if you’ll excuse me; I have to call her grandparents and let them know what’s going on. Please, can you watch over her and let me know if something changes.” Hatori answered, explained, and then asked, looking at Haru.

“Yeah, sure.” Haru replied, watching Hatori leave before watching Kohana. 

_“Hello?”_ Kohana’s grandmother, Gaia, asked, answering her phone.

“Hello, Mrs. Asakura?” Hatori calmly asked.

 _“This is she. Is this Dr. Hatori Sohma?”_ Gaia asked, remembering Hatori’s voice.

“Yes. I’m calling about Kohana.” Hatori replied, running a hand through his hair.

 _“Kohana? She’s in school—or she should be. What’s going on?”_ Gaia replied, becoming concerned.

“My cousins found her barely conscious a few blocks from my house. One of them said she passed out shortly after running into her. They brought her here instead of a hospital for whatever reason—other than I’m a doctor. I just wanted to let you know that she’s ok; her breathing and heartbeat are slowing down. And while she’s not conscious, she’s aware; I can press down on her stomach, arms, and legs and she responds by moaning a little. But it doesn’t seem like an overly painful moan. She’s not bleeding anywhere—internally or externally. If anything, her knees, ankles, and leg where I would assume, she was bit by those snakes, are swollen. From what I understand, her symptoms are because of a school endurance run that she was participating in. I’m not sure if she was a willing participate—or if she was forced into it. My other cousin, (who gose to school with her), told me the coach was yelling at her or something.” Hatori explained over the phone.

 _“That damn man… I’ve repeatedly told him and the people in the office that Kohana is not to participate any physical activities because her body can’t handle it. I even gave the office a note from her doctors back in America—and Italy. But because they’re not from a doctor here, in Japan, it apparently doesn’t count. It’s bullshit! Do you hear me? Bull shit!”_ Gaia snapped.

 _“Exercise is good for the girl!”_ Hatori heard Kohana’s grandfather, Hojo, yell on their side.

 _“Yes, exercise is good for her, but nothing too strenuous.”_ Gaia replied.

 _“At least we won’t have to worry about great-grandchildren.”_ Hatori heard Hojo grumble.

 _“What the hell is that supposed to mean?”_ Gaia asked, annoyed.

 _“She can’t be doing anything too strenuous. That is what you said, is it not?”_ Hojo asked, annoyed; for some reason, it pissed Hatori off.

 _“Running, jumping, lifting anything over fifteen pounds; stuff like that. Not sex. As long as she doesn’t push herself too much, sex should be just fine. And as long as she’s with someone who truly loves and understands her; she’ll be fine.”_ Gaia shot back, causing Hatori to turn red from embarrassment.

‘What is it with people and Kohana having sex? Who’s to say she’s even ready for that? She’s still so young. She’s certainly too young to even think about having kids.’ Hatori thought to himself.

 _“Aren’t you on the phone?”_ Hatori heard Hojo, bringing him back to reality.

 _“Right. Sorry about that, Hatori.”_ Gaia apologized.

 _“Hatori? That Sohma doctor? What’s he calling for?”_ Hojo rudely asked.

 _“He’s taking care of Kohana; his cousins found her in bad condition because for some reason that coach made Kohana do that endurance run today.”_ Gaia replied, annoyed.

 _“Yes, I know. He called and asked if I thought it was ok for her to do the run.”_ Hojo replied.

 _“And because of her health issues, you told him Kohana couldn’t participate. He clearly didn’t listen.”_ Gaia responded.

 _“No. I told him it’d be fine for her to participate. She doesn’t have a feasible doctor’s note excusing her from anything, and the girl needs to be more active.”_ Hojo simply replied, pissing both Gaia and Hatori off.

“Umm… Before you two get to discussing all this, I would like to keep an eye on Kohana and keep here until she wakes up to make sure all is well. Once she’s well enough, I’ll bring her home. And if it pleases you, I can write her an official doctor’s note, excusing her from any physical activity.” Hatori spoke up before Gaia could yell at her husband.

“That’d be great. Thank you. See you later.” Gaia replied, agreeing with Hatori before hanging up.

“Jesus…” Hatori sighed after he hung up.

“Is everything ok?” Haru asked, walking over to Hatori.

“Yeah—everything’s fine. How’s Kohana? Hatori replied before asking.

“She’s breathing normally, and it seems she’s sleeping peacefully. I don’t know about her heartbeat though.” Haru answered right away.

“Well, that’s good…” Hatori sighed, walking back to the room to check Kohana’s heart.

** Half An Hour Later: **

Haru left about fifteen minutes ago to meet up with Rin, leaving Hatori alone with an unconscious Kohana.

Knock. Knock. Knock. Knock.

Someone was frantically knocking at Hatori’s front door.

“Hold on; I’m coming!” Hatori called from his desk.

However, before he got halfway to his door, it slammed open to reveal a panicked Tohru and Momiji—along with Kyo.

“Just come on in…” Hatori sighed in disbelief.

“How is she?! Is she ok?!” Tohru and Momiji panicked, looking at Hatori.

“Kohana is fine; she’s sleeping. Who told she was here—and who all knows?” Hatori asked, looking at the three.

“I ran into Haru and Rin, who told me.” Momiji answered first. 

“Shigure and Ayame showed up as we were leaving school and told me, Yuki, and Machi. Yuki and Machi wanted to visit, but they had student council business to take care of.” Tohru replied.

“Tohru obviously told me. And if those two idiots told Tohru, they probably told everyone else as well. So the girl’s ok? What happened to her in the first place?” Kyo responded and then asked, concerned.

“Yeah, she’s fine. Apparently, your school’s coach/gym teacher contacted her grandfather and asked if she could participate in your school’s endurance run. Her grandfather said yes—when he should’ve told him no. Kohana’s not healthy enough to be running an endurance run. Haru explained that during her physical education class, Kohana goes to the office and sleeps or something. However, if I know your teacher, that’s going to count against her.” Hatori explained.

“What’s going to happen?” Tohru asked, concerned.

“I’m going to write her an official doctor’s note to get her out of that class.” Hatori answered.

Knock. Knock.

“Come in!” Hatori called.

“Dad?” Kyo asked, confused when Kazuma walked in.

“Well, hello.” Kazuma replied with a smile.

“What brings you here?” Kyo asked, looking at Kazuma.

“I just came to talk with Hatori. I heard you were struggling with feelings for someone you so clearly loved—a younger girl?” Kazuma answered and then asked.

“Shigure…” Hatori growled.

“Actually no. I heard Kagura and Kenji talking. Hatori, age doesn’t necessarily matter. I once dated a girl eleven years younger than myself. Unfortunately, for a few reasons, we didn’t work out. No, it wasn’t our ages or that we didn’t get along; we got along really well. There just some underlining family issues. I also heard that Arisa, Machi, Kaya, Mitsuru, and Kenji now know about the family curse. How did that come to be?” Kazuma explained before asking, somewhat shocked and confused.

“It has everything to do with that girl…” Kyo mumbled, looking away when Hatori shot him a dirty look.

“That girl? Does that girl have a name?” Kazuma asked, interested.

“Yeah… Her name is Kohana…” Hatori started, only to be interrupted.

“Not Kohana Asakura?” Kazuma asked, staring at Hatori.

“That would be her. Do you know her?” Hatori asked, stunned, looking directly at Kazuma.

“Yeah…” Kazuma started but was interrupted—this time by Kohana walking out, rubbing her eyes.

“Wh-wh-whe- **where** a-a- **am** I?” Kohana asked, confused—and then she noticed Hatori—followed by Kazuma and the others; she was shocked.

“Kohana…” Kazuma spoke, stunned, looking at her.

“Kohana, please remain calm.” Hatori instructed, noticing it looked like she was going to panic.

“S-s-sor-sor- **sorry**.” Kohana spoke before squeezing past everyone and left—without her shoes.

“What the hell was that all about?” Kyo asked, annoyed.

“I should’ve known…” Kazuma sighed, running his hand through his hair, looking where Kohana was standing.

“Should’ve known what? What’s going on?” Kyo asked, annoyed while the others asked, confused.

“I should’ve known when I heard that Hatori was interested in younger girl that it was Kohana. Tami did say this would happen one day…” Kazuma sighed.

“What’s going on?! How do you know Kohana? And who’s Tami?!” Kyo asked, losing his shit.

“Kyo, please calm down.” Tohru pleaded, holding onto Kyo’s arm.

“You don’t remember?” Kazuma asked, looking at Kyo.

“Remember what?” Kyo asked, annoyed.

“Kohana’s my daughter—your adopted sister. Her mother was the woman I dated.” Kazuma explained, shocking everyone in the room…


	3. Chapter 3

“I suppose I should start explaining some things.” Kazuma sighed, looking at everyone staring at him.

“You think?” Kyo asked, annoyed.

“Kyo, don’t be rude. Let him talk.” Hatori sternly told Kyo; however, he couldn’t help but wonder what was going on.

“Can we sit?” Tohru softly asked.

“Yes, of course.” Hatori replied, leading them to his table.

“Ok… Where should I start?” Kazuma asked once they were settled.

“How do you have a daughter?!” Kyo snapped.

“Kyo. Kyo. Kyo… Babies are crea—Ow!” Momiji started, only to have Kyo smack him over the head.

“I know how babies are made!” Kyo yelled, holding his fist over Momiji’s head.

“Ok. We’re here. How’s Kohana? Oh, Kazuma… What brings you over?” Yuki asked, walking in with Machi, Haru, and Rin.

“Might as well tell them as well…” Kazuma sighed.

“Is anyone else out there?” Hatori asked, slightly annoyed.

“No… It’s just us. Ayame and Shigure told us they found Kohana in bad condition. We just ran into Haru and Rin; Haru told us you had been watching over her.” Yuki explained.

“What’s going on?” Haru asked, confused.

“Well, Kohana’s no longer here; she took off after seeing me. And I’m her biological father. If you want to know, have a seat.” Kazuma politely explained, shocking the four at the door.

** Ten Minutes Later: **

While everything settled down, Tohru made tea for everyone.

“Thank you, Tohru.” Everyone thanked, sitting at the table once again.

“Before I start explaining things, how is Tami? Have you met her?” Kazuma asked, looking at Hatori.

“No, I have not. Kohana is living with her grandparents; her grandmother told me that her daughter, Tami, passed away a few months ago. I’m sorry.” Hatori explained and then apologized.

“Ah… I should’ve known… She did say she was marked for death. But as I was saying, Kohana is my daughter. However, I’m still not sure if she grasps that concept yet; she may or may not. Unfortunately, Kohana’s not exactly the brightest and struggles with learning and memory—despite who her mother and I are. But that’s not her fault. From what I understand, she was born early and has had a lot of different accidents.” Kazuma started explaining, a little upset at first.

“What do you mean “from what you understand?” You said you were her father, didn’t you? And where has she been all this time? How could her mother just keep her from you?” Kyo asked, annoyed.

Kazuma understood where Kyo’s frustrations were coming from; he knew Kyo loved him a great deal.

“Kyo, please, calm down. I wasn’t there for Kohana’s birth; I didn’t even know about her until she was three shortly after I took you in… And then I didn’t actually meet her until she was four—the same time you met her. You were six when you met her. And it’s not that Tami kept Kohana from me; she wasn’t aware she was my child until later one. Ok. I know how that sounds but let me explain. I met Tamera (Tami by most) when she was fifteen and I was twenty-six. Her class was putting on a production of _Romeo and Juliet_ and because I was an expert on the subject, her teacher and the headmaster called me in. At the time she was in a rocky relationship with a different boy; he had gotten her pregnant and wasn’t taking responsibility. She, by the way, was playing the nurse who was always looking after Juliet. Nine and a half months later, she had a baby boy, named Daku.” Kazuma started explaining.

“Kohana never mentioned an older brother; she mentioned that her parents were both half Japanese and half Italian.” Hatori spoke up.

“Hahaha. Kohana’s got things mixed up. But I suppose she may not know. She is half Japanese and half Italian. Knowing me, you all know I’m one hundred percent Japanese; Tami, on the other hand, was full Italian. It’s clear to the people who know the family—but to people who do not know them… Tami’s mom, Gaia, was raped by her abusive ex-boyfriend, who was Italian, about a year and half after meeting Hojo. From what I was told, Gaia left Italy to visit Japan—also to get away from her abusive boyfriend. She met Hojo and the two fell in love—and got married after a year. Three months after they were married, her ex found, abducted, and repeatedly raped her until she became pregnant. That was of course, after he made her miscarry Hojo’s child. Even after they found out Tami wasn’t Hojo’s biologically, he still took her on as his—however, he was very strict with her compared to her two younger brothers. But she was still his child. And so we’re aware, Asakura is Gaia’s last name, not Hojo’s. I think his last name was originally Nakamura or something like that. So I suppose Kohana could be slightly more Japanese. Hundreds of years ago, a male Asakura member left Japan and went to Italy to try to escape their curse. By the time they got to Gaia, any Japanese that may have been in her DNA was so small, they didn’t think to count it. But for the longest time, Asakura boys in Italy have been born. I think they said Gaia was the first girl born in a long time.” Kazuma explained.

“Akito explained to us that their family was cursed as well. And until someone from their side of the family and someone from our side of the family came together as one, both curses would be broke. If you and Kohana’s mother were together, shouldn’t that have been the end of the curses?” Yuki asked, looking at Kazuma.

Kazuma just looked at them with a sad sigh.

“I don’t like that look… What’s going on?” Kyo asked, standing up.

“Unfortunately, no. Tami and I were only together for a few years. I helped her with Daku. Well, we tried… Tami’s father hated me—with a burning passion. Gaia was always nice; she seemed to like me. But it became too much for Tami to handle. Yes, clearly Tami and I were intimate with each other—but I thought we were being careful because she said she wasn’t ready for another child just yet. I mean at the time we started dating, she was at the end of fifteen until she turned twenty-one. And I knew she was pregnant, but we were both so sure it wasn’t mine because she had been abducted and repeatedly raped—by Daku’s father. He wanted to be back with her, but she didn’t want that. However, at the time, she didn’t know it was him because he kept her blindfolded. She explained it several times to several people—including me. That was too much for her and she became severely depressed. I know Kohana was born early—I had a little about her from friends and such. It freaked Tami out because she didn’t know the child wasn’t mine and that she was already pregnant at the time of her abduction. She only found out that Daku was the man who raped her because he got drunk and slipped up one night when Kohana was two. Tami was a paranoid mother and had several baby monitors all over; they recorded him threatening her and she had him arrested. Between that, her mom telling her how to parent her child, and her dad being over controlling, Tami had enough. She took Kohana, her cats, and a few things, and left to Italy.” Kazuma explained.

“The curses… Tami actually knew just about everything about both of them. The only thing she didn’t know, was who the cursed zodiac members were. I know Gaia and Hojo know about Gaia’s family curse—but I’m not sure if they know about yours. That might’ve been Hojo’s issue with me—that and maybe the age difference. Gaia didn’t seem like she cared as long as I didn’t hurt Tami. I’m not sure if Kohana remembers your curse—or how much she knows about her own. But like you all, she’s at the epicenter of hers. So Yuki, to answer your question, no. Obviously, you know the curses didn’t end with Tami and me. That has to be between Kohana and one of the curse members of the family, Hatori. When she was pregnant with Kohana, Tami gained abilities; she was what she called a “seer.” That means that when she’d sleep, she’d have visions—and they always came true; she just never knew when. She knew Kohana was a girl—and knew the pain she would be in for. She knew Kohana would be one to end up with a cursed Sohma member, but not who. She said when Kohana turned two and started talking that it was either going to be the cat or the dragon because those are Kohana’s favorite. It wasn’t until she was three that Tami was sure it’d be the dragon because they visited one of Tami’s aunts in Italy; she was telling fairytales. Tami’s aunt was anti-dragon and was telling all the stories about slaying them and stuff. Tami said that Kohana had a horrible meltdown and couldn’t fathom why the dragon was always the villain—or always killed. Tami was not happy with her aunt and cut her from their lives then and there.” Kazuma explained, taking a quick breath.

“I know Tami liked cats; she had a few. And last I knew, Kohana had four or five. But she also had her own “dragons.” In reality, Tami took Kohana to a small animal shop when she was seven and was going to let her pick something for a pet. She already had three cats and didn’t want more at the time. Well, they got inside, the shop lady was showing them the rabbits, hamsters, fish, or whatever she thought little girls would like. Nope. Kohana wanted geckos—no matter how much the lady protested, saying little girls should have bunnies or whatever. After half an hour of desperately trying to get Kohana to understand and pick something out, Tami stepped in and Kohana left with two geckos: Sol and Luna. They also came home with a box of kittens.” Kazuma explained with a smile.

“I thought Tami didn’t want any more cats…” Rin pointed out.

“She didn’t. On the way to the pet store, someone put a box of free seven kittens out in front of their porch. When they left the store, the box was gone. They past a park and a group of thugs had the box and were chucking kittens all over the place. Kohana had a panic attack. These were not teenagers playing around; these were grown men. Well, they were grown men in the hospital after Tami got done with them. Tami was a tough girl who, although was never in a gang, some gangs wanted her. That’s what I was told anyway. Well, I know they had to bury four of the kittens and that Kohana was able to keep the three remaining. And the only names that come to mind right now are Ryu, Tatsu, and Kayda. So it was Tami, Kohana, Tami’s cats, Chibi, Mika, and Hari, Kohana’s kittens, Ryu, Tatsu, and Kayda, and her geckos, Sol and Luna. And I think Kohana rescued two new kittens just before moving from Italy to America.” Kazuma explained.

“America?” Kyo asked, confused.

“After some time, Kohana started having a difficult time in Italy for an unknown reason. Tami took it as a sign because when Kohana starts panicking the way she was, something bad tends to happen. So they moved to America. However, before they moved, a storm busted a window and the next day a hawk or something swooped in and took Sol and ate him. Luna crawled out the window and into a neighbors’ yard and was ran over by a lawnmower. We talked about it… I asked her if she wanted to come home, but Tami didn’t want Kohana around her father unless it absolutely came down to it. She had some friends in America who had a trailer or something on a farm. I guess looking back on it now, I should’ve pushed her more to come home… Even after the geckos died, Tami felt uncomfortable, so to America they went. A week after they moved, an airplane crashed into the house they had been living in.” Kazuma continued.

“I’m not going to lie and say I didn’t miss them; I missed them often. Yes, we talked over the phone every night. I talked to both of them before Kohana went to bed. And up until you went to train in the mountains and then into Shigure’s, you talked to Kohana as well. But it’s not the same as seeing them; we used to visit for two weeks every summer. Up until a few years ago when Akito made it so you couldn’t leave Japan anymore. You told me to go and just bring you something back. So—I did.” Kazuma explained, sighing.

“Why don’t I remember any of that?” Kyo asked, becoming agitated.

“You’ve been so busy and have had a lot on your plate. You haven’t had a lot of time to think about any of that. Plus, if I remember correctly, you were kind of in a bad place and often angry.” Kazuma answered, causing Kyo to turn red and sit down.

“So were Italy and America nice?” Tohru asked, changing the subject.

“Italy was pretty nice. America, I don’t know; I’ve never been. I had planned to go and get them, but Tami never got a hold of me—and I couldn’t get a hold of her. She called one day and said Kohana wanted to move to Japan; Kohana was having nightmares, screaming in her sleep, or not sleeping for days at a time. I told her give me a few weeks and I would go get them; she agreed and said she’d call. I never got a call. I figured maybe she changed her mind because Hojo was to over controlling—and if he were to figure out, she were here, he’d start controlling her life. He’d literally drag her from one place to theirs; I’ve seen him do it before. I figured she changed her mind but was too afraid to say anything. I figured like all the other times she’d call when she was ready. But nothing. I guess I know why. I didn’t even know Kohana was back here.” Kazuma answered and then explained, ending with a sigh.

“Do Tami’s parents know you’re Kohana’s father?” Haru asked in a bored tone.

“Tami said she told them—but I don’t know for sure. Kohana knows who I am to her… But with the look I just got from her—someone told her something. As unfortunate as it is, with her issues, Kohana can easily be manipulated. She’s living with her grandparents—I’m sure Hojo said something. I don’t think Gaia would ever keep her away from me—but Hojo is very controlling. And I know sometimes—not all the times, but I know Hojo scares Gaia into what he wants.” Kazuma answered.

“You’re her father! Can’t you just go there and take her?” Kyo asked, standing up, pissed off.

“I’m not on her birth certificate… So no, I can’t. I would have to go through all the proper channels, have DNA tests done, and all that. Kohana’s not autistic but has autistic tendencies; she also has ADD and OCD. Her grandparents are smart. If they don’t want Kohana taken away from them, they will use her issues against me and say she’s better with them because she’s just getting used to where she is. She doesn’t handle change well; she can sometimes have panic attacks. Taking her away from what she knows—or making her go through another change would be too devastating for her. That’s one of the big reasons Tami didn’t want to move back here. Kohana needs stability, and too much change at once—or too close to each other wouldn’t be good for her. She also has her health issues—including being bit by rattle snakes… If she’s better off with her grandparents, fine. I’d like to see her again, but unless she comes to me, I’m not going to force her. Now, you would think that the other biggest reason Tami didn’t want Kohana here was their curse. You’d be half right. Hatori, you said earlier that Kohana never mentioned having an older brother.” Kazuma sincerely explained before looking at Hatori.

“Yeah…” Hatori replied, looking at Kazuma.

“She doesn’t know him. She knows Kyo—or she knew him; she may not remember Kyo because it’s been so long. But she does not and will never remember Daku. Hatori, your ability to erase and alter memories—Tami also had that. As I said earlier: Tami had to older brothers. One is dead—and one might as well be dead. One died in a construction accident. The other—he was adopted when he was nine—after he came out as gay. Gaia tried to understand but couldn’t stop crying. And Hojo outright just disowned him. Tami didn’t want to do any of that; she truly loved him. Her other brother was a spoiled ass as she puts it. She didn’t want him to die or anything like that, but she didn’t get along with him. Anyway, Hojo forced her to make him, Gaia, and their other son to forget about him—after making her make her brother forget about them. She did—but only because her brother asked her to. However, she kept her memories of him and him of her. She found a family and kind of explained the situation to a certain point. They kept in touch for a long, long time. But she hated that ability and swore she’d never use it on either of her kids…” Kazuma explained, sighing as he crossed his arms across his chest.

“But?” Everyone asked, concerned.

“By now, you all know Kohana plays a big part in their and your curse. Her brother, Daku was not a good kid. He was used to being the only child for four and a half years. I guess he seemed excited until Kohana was born. He’s the reason she stutters so terribly. And for a six-year-old, he was smart. He started attacking her to try to kill her. When he failed, Daku threatened Kohana to keep her from saying anything to their mother. Tami only found out when she walked in on him on top of her with his hands around her throat. That’s why she stutters so horribly. While they could do surgery, doctors told Tami it could actually do more harm than good. They recommend speech therapy. But that hasn’t helped. Daku wasn’t sorry then, and he’s not sorry now. Although, I’m not on a certificate, Tami was going to get that changed. However, living in different countries made that difficult for her. But she got it set up that if they couldn’t get a hold of her, the hospital Daku was in could contact me and let me know his progress—which there hasn’t been. He’s in prison now and retains the mentality that he hates and wants Kohana dead. And that’s part of the curse. Daku’s father and Daku are direct descendants of the Jinmei family. Now—Daku is dead; Italian police shot him dead after he attacked Tami and Kohana and then proceeded to kidnap and attempted to kill Kohana. Kohana was five or six and it was the middle of winter and he threw into a frozen lake. That’s why she’s always so cold; her body was just never the same after that. Tami said Kohana is so used to it that it doesn’t seem to bother her too much—during Spring, Summer, and Fall. She suffers horribly in the winter and can barely leave anything the warmth of a house. She feels colder at night. And if she ever feels hot, it’s not a good thing.” Kazuma explained before taking a deep sigh.

“What about Daku?” Tohru asked, worried.

“He’s in a maximum security prison; he’s never getting out. But I got off track. Sorry about that. Tami first used her ability to make Kohana forget when Kohana was two and a half. They say time will heal. For a normal person, sure. And I suppose it wouldn’t be so bad if Kohana wouldn’t stop apologizing. She’s usually pretty good, but when she feels bad or down, she’ll apologize nonstop. She’s not nearly as bad as Ritsu; she doesn’t go around screaming or apologizing to the world. But she won’t stop apologizing—and she cries when she does because she just feels awful. That’s not too terribly; Tami could handle that. It’s the fact that if it gets so bad, Kohana starts self-harming. After four days of Kohana’s constant apologizing, she started walking headfirst into walls. Tami felt she had no choice. After that, Kohana was happy and doing everything she normally did. Then we come to Daku’s dad. Tami had to erase her memories a few times because he just kept popping up and reminding Kohana. I was so sure that after that incident, Tami erased her memories. Maybe she just altered them. I suppose Kohana would wonder why she always feels cold—and something in her medical files would probably show up.” Kazuma answered Tohru and went on to explain.

“Ain’t that the truth? I found her medical files because I was told by Kohana and Gaia that there were issues. They didn’t go into great details, but I found all that out.” Hatori spoke up.

“I think you would’ve liked Tami; you two probably could’ve sat and talked about a lot of things. Mainly Kohana, and how much you both hate erasing or altering memories. But onto the curses… For the first part of your curse to “end,” you needed an outsider to come and “break” it. That was Tohru. The second part of the curse involves the Asakura family. I say “end” and “break” the way I did because Tami told me that the curses will never truly end. Now listen to me very carefully. Tami told me that once Hatori and Kohana come together as one—and no, I don’t mean sex—I mean in general. Kohana and every cursed member of the Sohma family, their spouses, and children will become immortal. No, I’m not sure how that works, but that’s what Tami told me—and so far, she’s been right about everything else. I don’t know why Akito would tell you part of the—prophecy seems like a good term. Anyway, I don’t know why she wouldn’t tell you everything when she knows everything. There is no permanent end to the curses. Kohana will always be weaker than most. And as long as Daku remains in prison, Kohana will be safe. Even if he doesn’t remain in prison, as long as she remains with Hatori and stays safe, he won’t be able to get her. Clearly, we’ve all seen a change in Akito, but I don’t understand why she wouldn’t tell you everything. Hatori, Kyo, Yuki, Haru, Rin, Momiji, you, Akito, and the other seven will always be cursed with your zodiac spirits. However, it won’t all be that bad. Hatori—you and Kohana, Kyo—you and Tohru, Yuki—you and Machi… You are all with who you’re meant to be with. Well, Hatori you’re obviously not there yet—but you will be. Just give it time. Haru and Rin—you two don’t take this the wrong way, but you two don’t matter in the scenario. You two are meant to be together. When I say you don’t matter, what I mean is that you’re both cursed. You two can hug and be close because you’re both cursed—that’s how it’s always been. For Hatori, Kyo, Yuki, Momiji, and all the others who love someone outside of the family who isn’t cursed, they wouldn’t be able to touch or hold like you can.” Kazuma explained.

“Does this mean Kyo and I won’t be able to hug anymore?” Tohru softly asked, upset.

“Or that I’ll turn into that thing again?” Kyo asked, narrowing his eyes.

“No. Certain family members are excluded from that. Tohru, you are meant to be with Kyo; you’ll be able to hug him whenever you please. With Hatori, Yuki, Momiji, Haru, and the other male members, you’ll need their permission. If they give their permission, you’ll be able to hug them just fine. If you don’t have their permission… Say you just go up and randomly hug them for a surprise or whatever, they’ll turn into their animal form. Same goes for the girls of the family with males. Kyo, no; you will never turn into that form ever again. Tohru completely destroyed that curse if you will as you are now officially part of the family. People who are outsiders and aren’t meant to be a true love/spouse will not be able to hug any of you. I’m trying to remember what Tami said about your curse—and being sick and stressed. One way or another, when the curse returns, you will figure it out. No, I do not know when it comes back. Oh, and yes; you’ll be able to hold your own children, nieces, nephews, and grandchildren when the time comes.” Kazuma explained, looking at a shocked group.

“What do we do if someone hugs us and they turn?” Momiji asked, looking at Kazuma.

“You wait to see who sees and their reaction I suppose. If they have a good reaction and say nothing, they could most likely be left alone. If they have a bad reaction or you know they’re not a good person, Hatori would most likely erase their memories. However, if I know Akito, she’ll probably make Hatori make them forget either way. She may have changed—a lot, but she hasn’t completely changed.” Kazuma answered.

“So—what if we love who we are with now, but they suddenly change if we hug or something?” Yuki asked, standing up, annoyed.

“If you truly, one hundred percent love the person you’re with now or in the future, they won’t change. Yuki, relax. Like Kyo and Tohru, I can see that you and Machi truly love one another. Love is one of those things cursed Sohams know they have when they have it. Yes, while some have loved before, they weren’t true love—and somewhere deep down, they know that. Well, I should be headed out. Hatori—I know you well enough to know I don’t actually need to tell you this but take care of my daughter.” Kazuma told Yuki and then everyone before standing up and got ready to head out.

“Wait… You know who everyone is going to be with, don’t you?” Yuki asked, demanding an answer.

“No, Yuki; I do not. I know what Tami told me.” Kazuma answered, getting his shoes on.

“And what is that?” Yuki asked, shaking.

“That by the time Kohana and the dragon meet, just about everyone will be with who they’re meant to be with. Kyo… If you see Kohana, don’t say anything to her; I don’t know what she knows or doesn’t know anymore. Just keep an eye on her. I’ll see you all around.” Kazuma informed and then instructed before heading out…


End file.
